Web controlling mechanism for projectors



v Sept. 26, 1939. F.. a2.v WELLER I 2,174,339

WEB CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PROJECTORS ATTORN EY' Sept. 26, 1939. F. E. WELLER WEB GQNTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PHOJECTQRS 4 Shee-nsSheat 2 mmm w l FiledApr-il 11, 195e `Hill A INVENTOR Frank E We//er v WM, M

ATTORN EY Sept. 26,1939. F. E. wELLER Y 'EB ONTROLLNG MECHANISM FOR PROJEGTORS Filed April l1, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V ENTOR` Fran/f E We//ef' BY 04M, MQLM] ATTORN EYJ" sepL 2s, 1939. l

F. E. wr-:LLER

was c oNrRoLLING MEGHANISM PQR PRoJcToBs Filed April 1;, 193e sheetssheet 4 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 26, 1939 PATENT vOFFICE WEB CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PROJECTORS Frank E. Weller, Bloomfield, N. J., assignor to Trans-Lux Corporation, a corporation of Delaware v Application April 11,

6 Claims.

invention relates to mechanism for feeding or controlling movement of a web through a proprinting telegraph receiver may be utilized for typing or printing characters transversely on a movable web, the latter thereafter being controlled in a novel manner for movement through the projection field of an associated projector.

My invention has further reference to improved characteristics and features contributing to the satisfactory operationof a system of the character stated.

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

My invention resides in the web-feeding arrangement, combined printer-projector system, combinations and arrangements of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention and for an illustration of one of the many forms thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawy ings, in which:

Figure l is a rear elevational view showing, interiorly of a cabinet, a printer and projector as associated in accordancew with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view corresponding generally with Fig. 1, the printer being shown in a servicing position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view, partly broken away andpartly in section, of a part of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view, partly in elevation, showing a printer and projector as associated in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the platen and an associated web-tautening device;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational. view, partly in section, showing the web-drawing mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing my associated printer and projector together with an enclosing cabinet therefor;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, showing a web-controlling arrangement as constructed in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, and corresponding generally with Fig. 8, a part of the arrangement being shown in a different position.

193s, serial No. '13,836`

disposed a suitable projector P and a printing mechanism T, the latter being of any desired character and, as herein shown although not necessarily, being exemplified by a typewriteror typing mechanism such as manufactured by the Teletype Corporation of Chicago, Illinois, operable under electrical control from a central station.

Typing mechanism T of the character noted is Well known in the art. An explanation of many of the details of such mechanism is not required in connection `with the description of the'present invention and, hence, reference will be had only to certain parts which cooperate more or less closely with the projector P.

Thus, as shown particularly in Figs. 2, 4, 5, 8 and- 9, the mechanism T comprises a platen I mounted for rotatable movement on a shaft 2 disposed in bearings formed-in bracket arms 3 secured for limited oscillatory movement on a member 4 fixed in the frame of said mechanism. Secured in upper extensions of the bracket arms 3 is a rod 5 which is disposed parallel with respect to the aforesaid shaft 2. Adjacent its opposite ends, the rod 5 carries the respective fingers 6 which are adjustable along said rod 5 and, 'in suitable manner, are biased toward the platen `I. Between the fingers 6, the rod 5 carries the spaced guide plates 1.

around said platen I. vAs well understood in the art, the web W is held in engagement with the drum Il by the usual lower roller arrangement, not shown, and as indicated in Fig. 5, the side edges of the web W are held in engagement with said platen I by the respective fingers 6. In ordinary practice, .'the web W, after it passes beyond the fingers 6, rests upon themembers I as it leaves the mechanism T.

It is well known in the art that typing mechanism T of the character described comprises a bank of pivoted typelevers, such as the lever I0, Fig. 4, these levers being actuatable individuallyunder remote control and engageable with a ribbon I 0a so that the desired characters may be typed on the web W. Further, it is well known that the bank of type levers are remotely controlled to move them from an initial position step-by-step as a group transversely of the web W inlorder that a line of characters may be typed thereon. As soon as a typed line is completed, the aforesaid bank of levers are returned to said initial position and a step of rotative movement in a clockwise direction, Fig. 4, is imparted to the platen I so as to move the web W a line space. I As indicated in Fig. 4, any type lever III, as is customary in the art, comprises upper and lower case representations of the letter to be typed thereby. Normally, t'he platen I is so positioned, as shown in Fig. 8 and by the broken lines in Fig. 9, that actuation of the type levers, causes the lower case representations to be typed on the web W. When an upper case representation is to be typed, the platen I, in a known manner, is moved from the broken line to the full line position shown in Fig. 9. The web section in engagement with the platen I necessarily moves therewith when said platen is moved upwardly and downwardly as described above. This characteristic of the apparatus will be considered subsequently.

In accordance with my invention, a suitable arrangement is provided so that the mechanism T may be moved exteriorly of the cabinet C. This arrangement may assume any one of a variety of forms such, for example, as herein illus-l trated wherein a platform II, Figs. 1, 2 and 7 is adapted to support a pair of spaced, horizontally disposed tracks I2, each of these tracks being engaged by a plurality of wheels I3 secured to a carriage I4. Dlsposedabove the carriage Il is a support I5 which may be directly secured in fixed relation to said carriage I4. Instead of being thus directly secured, the support I5, in accordance with a preferred form of my invention, may be rotatably mounted upon the carriage I4 and, to this end, a pair of rotatably related members I6 and I1 may be interposed between the carriage I4 and support I5, the member I6 being secured to the carriage I4 and the member I1 being secured to the support I5. From the foregoing description, it will readily beunderstood that the member I1 constitutes a turntable and that the member I6 constitutes a turntable bearing all as more specifically de-. Y. scribed in United States Letters Patent No.

2,018,691, granted to E. H. Unkles.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the tracks I2 are disposed entirely within the casing C. In order that this track arrangement may be extended to the exterior of said casing C, a pair of track extensions I8 are pivoted to the respective tracks I2. These track extensions I8 maybe.

disposed in vertical position interiorly -of theI described, the track extensions I8, standards and links 2l may readily assume substantially a vertical position as shown in Fig. 1. Then, upon removal of the casing wall .I 9, the members last noted may readily be positioned as shown in Fig. 2 with the lower ends of the standards 20 resting upon some suitable supporting surface. With such an arrangement, it is obvious that the mechanism T may readily be moved from left to right, Fig. l2, along the tracks I2 and I8 so as to position the same exteriorly of the casing C in a servicing position, for example.

As shown in Figs. 4 and '7, the projector P comprises a housing 22 suitably supported, as by a wall of the cabinet C, and having disposed therein a suitable source of light, such as the incandescent lamp 23 which is seated in a socket 24. The lamp 23, in conjunction with a reflector 25, causes a projecting light beam to pass from right to left, Fig. 4, such light beam passing from the housing 22 by way of the opening 22a.

Arranged in horizontal alinement with the aforesaid opening 22a is a channel formed by a bottom horizontal wall 25 and spaced vertical side walls 21, this channel arrangement forming a single casting which is suitably secured to the lamp housing 22, as by the bolts 28. Disposed in the channel formed by the aforesaid horizontal and vertical walls are a pair of condensing lenses 29 adapted to be secured in operative position in any suitable manner, as by the transverse rods 30 andr spring members 3|.

Transversely arranged with respect tothe side walls 21 is a front wall 32, Fig. 4, which forms a part of another casting suitably secured, as byv screws, not shown, to the casting which comprises the walls 25, 21, said wall 32 dening an aperture 32a forming the vertical projection field ofthe herein described projector mechanism and the front condenser lens 29 abutting this wall 32 as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The aforesaid front wall 32 comprises upper extensions at the respective opposite sides thereof, each of these extensions terminating in a pair of spaced ears 33l 33a, Fig. 3. 'I'hese upper front wall extensions form bearings for a transverse shaft 34 which has a gear 35 secured to one end thereof, this gear meshing with and driving a gear 36 secured to one end of a second shaft 31 which also has bearings in said front wall extensions. Secured to the shaft 31 for rotatable movement therewith 'are a plurality of spaced rollers 38, Fig. 3, which, if desired, may be formed from rubber, cork or the like.

Referring particularly to Figs. l, 2, 3, 4 and. 7, l

there is shown a frame 39 which, along each side thereof, "comprises a pair of spaced ears 40, 40a, the arrangement being such that oney pair of the ears 4I); 40a fits snugly between one pair of the ears 33, 33'a while the other pair of said ears 40, 40a iits snugly between the other pair of ears 33, 33a. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a`

screw 4I is threaded'through the pair of ears 33a, 33 and the pair of' ears 40, 40a which are registered therewith. The frame 39 may be retained positively in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by a screw 42 which is threaded through the upper set of alined ears 33a and 40 shown in Fig. 3. `When desired, the screw 42 may be removed whereupon the frame 39 may be swung aboutY the screw 4I so as to gain` access to the projection eld. Alternatively, the position of the screws 4I and y42 may be interchanged and, when this is done, the frame 39 may be swung in a direction the reverse of that just described.

Mounted in upstanding lugs 43, 43a of the frame 39 is a rod 44 to which a plurality of spaced rollers 45 are fixed, these rollers 45 comprising sections 45a which coact with the respective rollers 38 and each roller 45 comprising side sections 45h which add weight thereto. As indicated 'in Fig. 3, the openings'in the lugs 43, 43a which receive the respective ends of said rod 44 are substantially larger than the rod diameter and, therefore, the structure comprising the associated frame section 39a whereby said members 46 are firmly anchored in their intended positions.

The members 46 support two horizontally disposed fixed rods or members 48 and 49. Carried by and freely oscillatable on the rod 46 are a plurality of fingers 58 maintained in suitable spaced relation by washers I. The rod 49 also extends through passages 52 formed in the respective fingers 50 and, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the diameter of these passages 52 is somewhat larger than the diameter of the rod 49 whereby limited oscillatory movement of the fingers 50 on the rod 48 is permitted. Each finger 50, at the end thereof removed from the rod 48, carries a wheel 53, preferably of edged construction to prevent smudging, these wheels being mounted in freely rotatable manner and being coactable with an inclined surface 54a of a member 54 adjustably secured to the lower surface of the aforesaid bottom wall 26 by screws 55. 'I'he weight of the fingers 50 is substantial and, as clearly appears from a consideratio'n of Figs. 8 and 9, said fingers 50 are biased in a clockwise direction under the influence of gravity so that the edged wheels 53 coact with the inclined surface of the member 54 in the manner hereinafter described.

In the form of the invention herein shown, although not necessarily, the aforesaid frame 39 carries a projecting bracket 56 which, in part, is formed as an annulus for the reception of the casing 51 of a suitable objective lens. The bracket 56 also comprises depending sections which carry a plate 58 on which a mirror 59 is suitably secured, as by the spring clips 60.

The mirror 59 causes the projecting light beam to pass upwardly through the objective lens enclosed by the casing 51. After traversing this objective lens, the projecting light beam continues to pass upwardly and engages a mirror 6| disposed within a housing 62 which is supported by standards 63 extending upwardly from the aforesaid cabinet C, the housing 62 being closed at the front thereof by a suitable projection screen 64 which, as herein shown although not necessarily, is of the rear projection type.

As hereinbefore stated, the web W rests upon the members 1 after it passes beyond the fingers 6. In accordance with the invention, said web W does not pass toward the rear of the machine to such extent that it engages the rear surfaces of said members 1. Rather, the web is brought' into engagement with a rod 65 having hookshaped ends 65a engaging the aforesaid rod 5 in a clamping manner, Fig. 5. Preferably, said web W does not directly engage the rod 65 since, as shown in Fig. 3, it is desirable for said rod 65 to have a pair of oppositely pitched wire coils 66 disposed thereon, preferably'in'freely rotatable relation, the web directly engaging these coils 66 and, due to the small diameter of the wire fforming the coils, causing no substantial smudging of the ink on the web which produces the typed characters. i 1

In order to placethe herein described projector in operative condition, the frame 39, after removal of the screw: 4I, is swung on the pivot 42 until said frame together with the operative parts carried thereby are in suchposition that a length of the web Wmay be drawn through the typing device T and positioned as shown in Figs. 4 and '7 of the drawings. The frame 39 is then moved to the position thereof shown on the draw- 'ings and the screw 4I returned to the position shown in Fig. 3 to thereby positively lock said frame in operative position. In so doing, the edged rollers 53 move to hold a transverse section of the web against the sloping surface 54a of the member 54, the gripping engagement thus effected on said web being proportional to the pull exercised by action of gravity on the levers 50. At the same time, the roller sections 45a engage another transverse section of the web to hold the same in contacting relation with the rollers 38.

Assuming that theweb W is tautly positioned in the typing device T and in the projector P as shown in Fig. 4, said typing device may be operated in the customary manner to type a line of characters transversely of said web. At the conclusion of the line-typing operation, a step of rotative movement in a clockwise direction, Fig. 4, is imparted to the platen I by the known remotely controlled mechanism to thereby locate the next succeeding transverse area of the web W in position for the reception of the succeeding line of characters.

In accordance with one form of the invention, a suitable mechanical connection, such as the flexible shaft 61, is connected from the platen I to the above described shaft 34 which, through the gears 35 and 36, is connected to the shaft 31 carrying the web-pulling rollers 38. Accordingly, power is transmitted from the platen I to said shaft 31 and each step of rotative movementimparted to the platen is transmitted to the shaft 31. Inasmuch as the web is gripped between the rollers 38 of the shaft 31 and the rollers 45 of the shaft 41, it results that such step of rotative movement imparted to the rollers 38 effectively pulls or draws the web W through the projection field substantially in synchronism with movement thereof under the control of the platen I.

Accordingly, in the manner thus described, lines of characters are typed in succession on the web W and, byqstepped rotative movement of the platen I, the web is released a line at-a time so that, by action oi' the web-pulling rollers 38, each line of typed characters may be moved step-by-step toward and through the project-ion field. As will readily be understood, the projecting light beam passes from right to left, Fig. 4, through the projection field and the web section framed thereby, the projecting light beam thereafter engaging the mirror 59, passing upwardly through the objective lens, engaging the mirror 6I and eventually coming into engagement with the screen 64 so as to display images of the characters then in the projection field.

An important feature, as regards satisfactory operation of the projector, relates to the provision, adjacent the entrance to the projection field, of the .web-gripping arrangement comprising the rollers 53 and surface 54, or equivalent. Due to the provision of this web-gripping arrangement, the web section in the projection field is maintained taut at all times so as to insure ill) satisfactory projection from a plane web section.

As hereinbei'ore stated, the platen I is in its lower case position when located as shown by the broken lines of Fig, 9, said platen being in its upper case position when located in the full line position of Fig. 9. The web W, as well understood in the art, is clamped onto said platen and, therefore, .the web necessarily moves with the platen while the latter moves toward and from upper case position.

Preferably, the gear ratio between the flexible shaft l1 and the shaft Il is so chosen that the rollers Il, 45 for each step of rotative movement of the platen I, tend to pull or draw the web a distance slightly greater than the distance that said web is moved by the platen I. Accordingly, in operation, the web pulls taut and then slight slippage occurs at the rollers 35, 45. As a result,

the web is maintained substantially taut between the rollers Il and the platen I whereby the projection of character images from said taut web section in the projection ileld may proceed in a satisfactory manner.

As appears from the drawing, in view of the description heretofore given, the web W extends around the rod 65, this rod being positioned between the platen and the roller arrangement 53. This rod 65 partakes of arcuate movement about the member 4 during change of case of the platen I as clearly appears from a consideration of Figs. 8 and 9 and, because thus moving arcuately and by reason of the position thereof, such position being properly selected, it results that there is substantially the same length of web section or between the platen and the rollers 53 between the platen I and the rollers 38, 45 when the platen I is in lower case position, when said platen is in upper case position and when `the platen is moving between lower and upper case position. Other arrangements the equivalent of the rod 55 may be used as desired for this purpose.

Accordingly, between the platen I and the rollers 35, 45, the web remains substantially taut at all times. Therefore, if the line-advancing mechanism of the typing device T is operated while the platen I is in its upper case position, the same pulling action and the same slight slippage of the rollers 3l, 45 occurs as hereinbefore described. If the rod I5, or equivalent, were not utilised, there would be a sag in the web when the platen I is thus in its upper case position and, if the line-advancing mechanism should be operated at this time, the rollers 35, 45 would necessarily draw the` web 1. distance slightly greater `than the distance said web is advanced by the platen I, i, e., there would be no slippage of the rollers 38, 45 with respect to the web. 'I'hereupon, when the platen I would be returned to lower case position, the web would be drawn backwardly through the projection field a distance corresponding -to that distance which the web was overdrawn by said rollers ll, 45. This backward movement, of course, would be undesirable from the viewpoint of those observing the images projected onto the screen 54, and such backward movement is prevented by utilization of the rod 65 as described above.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with a projection system of a particular kind, it shall be understood that the invention is not to be so limited. Obviously, within the purview of the invention, specifically different projectors may be utilized from those disclosed and the projection eld may be disposed otherwise than vertical as desired. In any event, the section of the web in the projection eld at any given time should be maintained taut and of plane configuration. As herein illustrated, this result is accomplished in an advantageous manner by providing a web-retarding arrangement at the entrance to the projection ileld and a web-pulling arrangement at the exit end of said projection field.

It will be understood that a. combined device of the character herein described is of advantageous construction from the servicing viewpoint. The projector P and printer T, preferably, are separate mechanisms as disclosed although, as will be understood, the invention is not to be limited in this respect. In accordance with this characteristic of the invention, the printer T, after the track extensions I8 have been positioned as shown, may be moved partly or entirely to the exterior of the cabinet C through an open door thereof. In so doing, the platen I may be manually rotated by the handle Ia to release a suiiicient length of the web W so that the latter may remain threaded through the projection eld as shown. With the printer T positioned as shown in Fig. 2, the drive shaft 61 remains in operative relation and, therefore, normal movement of the web W from the printer and through the projector may continue while said printer T is thus positioned,

While the invention has been described with respect to a certain particular preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, .that various changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a typewriter platen having a web held in engagement therewith, said platen being movable at will from lower case to upper case position and vice versa, of means for moving said web with respect to a projection field after release thereof by said platen, and means tending to keep the web taut between said projection ileld and said platen for all positions of the latter.

2. 'Ihe combination with a typewriter platen having a web held in engagement therewith, of means for drawing said web through a projec- 4tion field after release thereof by said platen,

the position of said projection field being fixed and said platen being movable at will from lower case to upper case position and vice versa, and means whereby said first named means draws the same length of web when release of the web by said platen occurs either in lower or upper case position, said last named means tending to keep the web taut between said projection field and said platen.

3. The combination with a typewriter platen having a web held in engagement therewith, of means for drawing said web through a projection field after release thereof by said platen, the position of said projection field being fixed and said platen being movable at will from lower case to upper case position and vice versa, and means whereby the web is maintained substantially taut between said drawing means and said platen when the latter is in both upper and lower case positions.

4. The combination with a projection field disposed in a vertical plane or approximately so, of a typewriter platen disposed below said projection iield and having a web held in engageme'nt therewith, said platen being movable from lower case to upper case position and vice versa, and means tending to keep the web taut between said projection field and said platen for all positions of the latter.

5. The combination with a projection field disposed in a vertical plane or approximately so, of a typewriter platen disposed below said projection eld and having a web held in engagement therewith, said platen being movable from lower case to upper case position andvice versa, and

means tending to keep the web taut between said projection field and said platen for all positions of the latter, said last named means comprising a rod extending transversely of and enment therewith, means forming an axis on which said platen is movable arcuately from lower case to upper case position and vice versa, and means tending to keep the web taut between said projection field and said platen for all positions of the latter, said last named means comprising a rod extending transversely of and engaged by the web whereby the latter is held in loop formation, said rod being mounted for arcuate movement about said axis. 

